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CHARADRIUS SEMIPALMATUS— BONAP. 



AMERICAN RING PLOVER. 



Ringed Plover, Tringa hiaticula, Wils. Amer. Orn. 



(/haradrius Semipalmatus. Bonap. Syn. 



American Ring Plover, Charadrms semipalmatus, Sw. & Rich. 



Semipalmated Ringed Plover, Nutt. Man. 



American Ringed Plover, Charadrius semipalmatus, Aud Orn. B og. 



Specific Character — Bill shorter than the head ; base orange color, 

 toward the point black ; a broad band on the forehead white ; mar- 

 gined below with a narrow black band, above with a broad band of 

 the same color ; rest part of the head wood brown ; lateral toes con- 

 nected by a membrane as far as the first joint ; inner toes about half 

 that distance. Adult male with the bill flesh color at base, anterior 

 to the nostrils black ; a line of black commences at the base of the 

 upper mandible, passes back to the eye, curving downward on the 

 sides of the neck ; a band on the fore part of the head pure white ; 

 fore part of crown black ; occiput wood brown ; chin, throat, and 

 fore neck passing round on the hind neck, pure white ; directly be- 

 low, 'on the lower portion of the neck, a broad band of black ; up- 

 per plumage wood brown ; primaries blackish-brown ; shafts white 

 — blackish brown at their tips ; secondaries slightly edged with 

 white on the inner webs ; outer webs nearest to the shafts an elon- 

 gated spot of white ; wing coverts wood brown ; secondary cov- 

 erts broadly tipped with white ; breast, abdomen, sides and lower 

 tail coverts pure white ; tail brown, lighter at the base ; outer fea- 

 thers white — the rest broadly tipped with white, excepting the mid- 

 dle pair, which are slightly tipped with the same. Female similar, 

 with the upper part of the head and the band on the neck brown. 

 Length seven inches and a quarter, wing five. 



This species, though smaller, resembles in plumage the Ring 

 Plover of Europe. In the month of May, the American or Semi- 



